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I recently had the opportunity to meet author Dan Langerock. This gentleman has gone through much in his lifetime, yet is quick to smile, encourage and teach where he is welcomed. Below, I introduce you to Dan and the first in his series of Bible study book, David--Man After God's Heart. I have had the opportunity to read this book and found it surprising pleasing--not dry as many Bible study books tend to be. Dan's giving personality shines through clearly in his words. This book would be wonderful for those seeking to understand the Bible deeper.David – Man After God's Heart By Author Dan Langerock

New Christian book series to offer in-depth Bible study

This book is the first release in a series of Christian Bible studies. This in-depth series is designed to help readers learn from the life of each biblical character studied, and will afford the opportunity for readers to apply those lessons in their own lives.

“I am very excited and pleased to be able to offer this series now,” stated Mr. Langerock, “as I believe that many people are searching for a Bible study series with depth. After David, there will be a study on Solomon as well as Abraham. There will then be a grief devotional, which will be followed by two poetry books.”

Mr. Langerock has been actively writing for over 45 years. From birth, his life was affected by blindness and epilepsy. As an adult, he was a hospital chaplain for 10 years. Mr. Langerock is currently working on an internship to become a pastor and specializes in grief ministry. His wife, Cathy, recently died after 33 years of marriage. However, he nonetheless considers himself to be blessed..

“It has been a hard adjustment, certainly,” stated Mr. Langerock, “but God has provided the comfort I need, as has my daughter Carolyn. After Cathie’s death, four books were contracted in four days to Living Waters Publishing.

“While the Bible studies out there now are very good, the ones I write are geared to help the reader maximize the lessons that can be derived from the scriptural character's life. 'David: Man After God’s Heart', helps readers apply what David went through in his life to their own lives. Readers will be given the opportunity to study at least six characteristics of David, and will then have questions to help apply what has been learned. It is my hope that once people experience this new type of study it will help them grow closer to God. I believe the Holy Spirit gave me this to draw people closer to God; that is the ultimate aim. With so much uncertainty in the world, I believe we certainly need to be closer to God.”

Mr. Langerock's books will be available from Living Waters Publishing, and from most Internet book outlets.

Bio for Dan Langerock

I was born in 1952 and grew up with blindness and epilepsy. I am still blind in one eye due to a retina detachment. But the Lord is good and has given me a family and a multitude of blessings despite the tragedies in my life

My wife, Cathie recently died after 33 years of marriage. It has been a hard adjustment but God has provided the comfort I need as well as my daughter Carolyn.

After Cathie’s death, the Lord sold four books in four days to the publisher Living Waters Publishing in Arkansas. Praise the Lord. There are going to be at least six books coming out this year, Lord willing.

I am a former hospital chaplain for 10 years, currently getting started on my internship as a pastor. I specialize in grief ministry.

The future ahead looks bright due to the Lord in my life. He has provided every step of the way and will continue as long as I am close to Him. Priase the Lord. I hope this is your testimony as well.

1) What was the impetus that started you writing, Dan?

When I was going blind as a child from cataracts, my Mom showed me all the beauty around me. In case I went totally blind, I would then have some memory of the beauty. I did belong to the Foundation for the Junior Blind for a while although I never went totally blind. My sight now is marginal but I am able to have a steady job and write.

2) How did it feel growing up being blind and epileptic?

Back in those days, there was not as much understanding as there is now. But I felt very ostracized by my peers, and lonely. That is one reason I turned to writing, to have it as a catharsis of what I was feeling inside.

One time before I met my wife at college, I felt so alone that I sat on a bench one day and cried. God saw those tears and I met her in one of my Speech classes about three months later. We had a great marriage for 33 years and I miss her a lot.

After her death in 2008, the Lord again saw the tears and the loneliness I felt. He provided another wonderful wife for me through the Internet. She was 3000 miles away but God did it anyway. He also gave me two great kids as a bonus. I praise him everyday for his blessings to my life.

3) What is different about the Bible studies you write than what is currently on the market?

While the Bible studies are good that are out there now, the ones I write are geared to help the person studying to maximize the lessons that can be derived from the person’s life. For instance, David: Man After God’s Own Heart, the first study coming out, helps the reader apply what David went through in his life to theirs. You will study at least six characteristics of David in the book and then have questions to help you apply what you have learned. There is a section to help you learn more also called “For Further Study”.

I believe that once people experience this new type of study it will help them grow closer to God in a wonderful way. The Holy Spirit gave me these to draw people closer to God. That is the ultimate aim.. With so much uncertainty in the world, we certainly need to be close to God.

4) What qualifies you to write these Bible studies and other books?

I am a former hospital chaplain and now getting ready to be a pastor. I start my internship this year. The Lord has gifted my life with His words so can help others become close to Him. It is a privilege to do so.

At a young age, I went through blindness and epilepsy. I am still battling these things everyday with God’s help. He has blessed me beyond measure in spite of what has happened to me. It is a matter of trust to believe God will work it out for you no matter what happens.

5) What is the name of your publisher and where can your books be found when they are published?

My publisher is Living Waters Publishing in Arkansas. Their web address is www.livingwaterspc.com The books will be on the major book sites such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million etc., as well as bookstores.

6) What would you say to aspiring writers who are trying to get published and may feel frustrated?

I would say it is important not to give up. I spent many years trying to get books published but to no avail. Right after my wife died in July 2008, the Lord sold four books in four days time. Praise the Lord.

God has a time for your writing to be published. Your job is to make it the best it can be. Sometimes no one but God is there to encourage you. Hang onto Him for He is the God of all comfort the Bible says. Keep developing your writing and don’t give up no matter what. I spent four semesters in college taking Creative Writing to get my poetry where I wanted it to be, but I still kept going from there. God has taken me from poetry to articles to books now. Just keep trusting God. In Psalm 37 it tells us if we trust God and delight in Him, he will give us the desires of our hearts. He has done this for me and there is no reason he won’t do it for you.

He loves you and I so much. Dedicate your life and your writing to Him and just keep working at it.

7) What other books are coming out this year?

After David, there will be a study on Solomon as well as Abraham. Then there will be a grief devotional concerning the many forms of grief we go through in a lifetime. For instance, discouragement is one grief many people don’t think of as a grief but it is. Discouragement can rob you of the will to go on in many areas of life, especially spiritually.

There are so many people in need of encouragement nowadays with the economy being what it is. Stress in people’s lives is at a breaking point and they need to know someone cares about them. I am putting forth a challenge for the Christian community to use their gifts to help others. Here is the idea:

I believe there are many of you out there with gifts the Lord has given you for singing, playing instruments, encouragement and a host of others. Why not use them to benefit our nation by going in your own city, area and wherever God leads you to spread this hope from God? One person cannot hope to meet all the needs our country has, but all of us working together can make a difference for God, and even an impact. That is the true point of being a Christian, to make an impact for God wherever you go.

We cannot accomplish this momentous task in our own strength because we are not strong enough in ourselves. The issues are too complex. The problems are too big for our wisdom. That is why we need the marvelous wisdom of God that transcends description. We need His power and His love and His wisdom to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Jesus said, “What is impossible for man is possible with God.”

You don’t have to be perfect to be able to use that gift God has given to you. If you will step out in faith, I believe God will work in a wondrous way in our beautiful country of America. Everyone, at some point in their lives needs hope and encouragement. There are many without jobs, places to live, and most of all hope for the future to believe once again. It has all been drained out by what they have been through, just as things may have happened in your life as well.

So, what can you do? Pray about how God wants you to help our nation, first of all. Then use the gifts God has given you to show people the love of God in your neighborhood and city. If we put God in a small box we will get small results. However, if we let Him out of the proverbial box and believe with all our being, God will do wonders for America---one person at a time.

I am challenging every Christian in America to at least pray for God to move in a mighty way in the hearts of Christians everywhere. Then, step out in faith and do what you have prayed about. Get out there and encourage people. If you play an instrument or sing, use those gifts wherever you can. It doesn’t matter what your gift is, the point is to use it for the glory of God.

One church I know of is making quilts for people at a mission to keep. So look for needs in your own sphere of influence: where you work, shop, and everywhere you go. The Bible tells us that wherever Jesus went, He did good for others. If we claim to be Christians and His disciples, can we do any less than He did?

Thank you for praying and joining us in our Mission of Hope to America. You will be truly blessed if you pray about this and then act upon it by using what God has given you. Remember, we are not to be a reservoir but a funnel of His blessings to those around us. God bless you as you obey.

Earlier this month, I introduced you to author, Barbara Bonfigli and talked about her book, Cafe Tempest. Barbara is joining us today for a very informative interview. Enjoy!1. Welcome, Barbara! Could you please take a moment to tell us about yourself?

I've been writing since I was two when someone gave me a box of crayons. eventually I learned the alphabet or I might have had much earlier success as a graffiti artist. Being a Pisces I am hard wired to move on, and my fins need water. So although I've traveled to all the continents by all available means -- from hitchhiking to helicopter -- when I discovered Greece I knew I'd found my native land. Theater is one of my favorite art forms and nothing is more fun than rehearsals, so when I was cooking up the main plot I had no trouble picking an amateur production of one of the English language's greatest plays. Friendship and yoga and loving whoever you love are topics I'm passionate about, so they found their way naturally into my novel.

2. Cafe Tempest is a "fictional memoir". What made you go this route instead of a personal memoir?

A fictional memoir allows me to create situations and use my powers of imagination, as well as memory. It adds a greater dimension to the creative process.

3. While this is your first published novel, your writing style says you have been writing for some time. Can you share with us the path you traveled to get to this point?

I've always been a writer and have written two screenplays which have yet to be produced. Working with a composer I've written the lyrics for several theatrical productions, and that continues. Songwriting indulges my twin loves of music and literature; and it's so fast! I've been writing "Café Tempest" for a long time while working in the theater and in television production. One day I decided to finish it.

4. Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so, can you please reveal a little about it?

Welcome to the new world of internet marketing. I'll soon be sending out a couple of travel articles that are taking up room in my desk, but the next novel won't happen until Café Tempest has reached what I believe is a large and varied audience.

5. Barbara, I think most authors find that promotion is more difficult than they realized. Has that been the case with you and what have you done in the way of promotion that seems to be the best "fit" for your personality?

We've just completed an author video, soon to be released. It was nothing but fun. And a series of Greek travel tips, even more fun. Challenging yes, but I love exercising my creative brain (a wine tasting will do when nothing else presents itself.) I've also arranged for four book signing events/parties, in New York, Santa Fe and Chicago, in just the first month of publication. But you're on to something; I had NO IDEA how much promotional work would be required of me.

It has a biography, early reviews, a few chapters and now some interviews from radio and TV.My publisher Tell Me Press also has a very good website www.tellmepress.com7. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers today?

In addition to being (I hope) a funny, multi-layered, Greek infused tale of adventure and self-discovery, Café Tempest presents an off-beat, some might say provocative love story. When they've finished the novel, I would like to hear from your readers' what they think and feel about it.

To learn about Barbara Bonfigli and Café Tempest, feel free to visit any of these sites.

Yesterday, I introduced you to a wonderful set of books titled Just the FAQs. Today, I have the pleasure of sharing with you a conversation I had with the author of this series, MaAnna Stephenson.

1. MaAnna, can you first tell us a little about yourself?

By trade I’m an electronics engineer and, as such, have been creating all sorts of technical documentation for decades. I’m also a geek and have created sites for non-profit organizations and small businesses for over a decade too. My dad’s entire family were professional musicians, so I started playing as soon as I could sit up in someone’s lap. As a teenager I was already a multi-instrumentalist and composer. My music was first published in the 1980s with international airplay. I’m also a woodcarver and have been featured in national magazines including Woodcarving Illustrated. My first book, The Sage Age – Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom, was published in September 2008 and featured in Publishers Weekly a few weeks later. I compiled the material for the Just the FAQs series while I was developing an online presence for The Sage Age.

2. The Just the FAQs series includes five books, what are they?

There’s a book for blogs, one for RSS feeds, and another for article marketing that are all step-by-step guides that will dramatically reduce your learning curve in these areas. The websites book teaches you what you need to know to develop a site that works well and gets results. It contains three printable worksheets and information that will help you avoid expensive pitfalls. The Quick Step Guide is available for free download and covers the basics of setting up a blog on Blogger and RSS feeds with FeedBurner.

3. What prompted you to write this series?

I took four years off from developing sites to do the research for The Sage Age. When I began creating an online presence for it, I discovered that Web 2.0 had become all the rage and I had to get up to speed with the new technology. I was appalled at the lack of good documentation available on these topics, so I created my own as I went through the process. My editor found the information so helpful that she suggested I publish the material. That’s how the blogs, feeds, and articles books came to be. The book on websites comes from my years of experience working with clients to help them build sites that look nice and get results as well as educating them to be confident site owners and avoid expensive pitfalls.

4. You have a special deal available to those who purchase a set of three or the entire set. Would you please tell us about it?

You can purchase each book individually or in bundles at a discount rate. The blogs, feeds, and website books are available as a bundle, and then the entire set is available as a bundle. The blogs, feeds, and articles books are available as a bundle with the class series.

5. You are offering classes in conjunction with the books. Please let our readers know where they can find more details on this? (Readers-find out at the bottom how you can win a chance at a free class).

The classes offer extra support and step-by-step guidance for blogs and RSS feeds. They also contain advanced tips and tricks not covered in the books, like adding analytics to your site. You can find more information at http://www.JustTheFAQs.net/classes.shtml

6. Can you tell us a bit about your JTF podcasts?

I’ve had the good fortune to meet so many wonderful folks who are experts in some facet of online promotion. I wanted to share with others the great information these folks had shared with me. That’s why I created the podcast series. Videos are on the drawing board too and I hope to begin presenting them by this winter.

7. MaAnna, with all you do, how do you manage your time to get everything done so efficiently?

The number one question I get asked is, “When do you sleep?” My day is much like everyone else’s. I begin work at 7:30 a.m. and go quiet by midnight seven days a week. I probably should have been an efficiency expert. I have plenty of time to visit with friends and family as well as participate in local MeetUp Groups. I also spend time on my deck watching sunset most every evening. It’s one of my favorite things.

8. Are there plans for more books in this series?

Yes, more books are in the works. My development background has been in enterprise-level sites. I’m spending the summer learning to be a WordPress developer so that I can create my own templates and widgets and go well beyond what’s offered in the raw code. I’ll be expanding the series to include WordPress documentation. Of course, I’m documenting the process of getting started with podcasts and videos too, which are very hot marketing tools now. And, I’ve entertained the idea of offering a free teleclass to help folks get started with the basics of online marketing. No one is born knowing this stuff, and having it translated into plain language is something I don’t see many folks offering.

9. Where can people find your books, sign up for classes, or listen to a podcast?

Most folks are on a budget and don’t have big bucks to pay someone to create an online presence that they don’t fully know how to manage or update. Just the FAQs ebooks can help folks learn how to do it for themselves even if they have no prior technical experience. I’m a big believer in education and resources from JTF can help folks become confident site owners and create an online presence that works right the first time.***Thank you for being with us today, MaAnna. Folks, I had the pleasure of reading both the Blog and RSS books. I am one of the most technically-challenged people, yet I found the books easy to understand and put into practice. MaAnna has created a set of books for everyone wanting to make a presence on the Internet. This set of books definitely receives a perfect rainbow of seven colors on the Rainbow Scale of Excellence.

MaAnna Stephenson has done it again!! Done what? She has created a series of books that puts the basics of the Internet right at your fingertips.

Interested in blogging but don't know where to start?

Getting started with a free Blogger account is one of the fastest, most effective ways to get your online marketing campaign going. And, because Google owns Blogger, you will get ranked in the search engines quickly. This book takes you through the basics of getting your blog set up, customizing, and optimizing it for your individual needs. Get a blog and start getting results!

Discover how to:

Create a blog with all the right settingsFully customize every aspect of your blogAdd page elementsModerate commentsOptimize your blog for search enginesAdd your blog to directory listingsCreate a blog for groups

RSS feeds sounds like a foreign word?

The perfect companion book to Just the FAQs-Blogs. Running an email list or newsletter is time-consuming and expensive. And, more folks are opting out of them every day in favor of RSS Feeds. This book walks you through the basics of FeedBurner and shows you how to deliver your blog content directly to your readers as well as other sites that are hungry for content.

Discover how to:

Automatically send your blog posts to your viewer's email or feed readerGet syndicated on multiple Web sitesAuto-populate multiple sites with just one post from your blogFormat your posts for delivery to both computers and mobile devices

Ready to expand that blog and fully make a presence on the web?

Most folks are not fully prepared to be a Web site owner and end up making expensive mistakes. This easy-to-read book includes all the information you need to learn about domains, hosting, and design elements. It also includes printable worksheets that will help you organize your marketing information and avoid costly pitfalls of Web site ownership, whether you will be using templates, creating from scratch or hiring a designer.

Discover:

Domain names and how to acquire themThe different types of hosting serversHow to format Meta Tags and other content for search enginesSeveral printable worksheets that will help you gather and organize your content and make good design decisions about how your site will look and function bestContains no script or code

Now it is time to publicize your presence. Article writing is one of the best methods.

Article marketing is quickly becoming one of the best ways to establish yourself as an expert. It's also used as a proven method to drive traffic to your Web site or blog. This book contains step-by-step instructions for registering and submitting to all the major article directories. It also includes tips and tricks to help you organize and streamline your article marketing campaign.

Discover:

Creating accounts with all the major article directoriesProcedures for submitting to each directoryThe various content you will need in addition to your articleOrganizational tips and tricks to streamline your ongoing article marketing campaign

These books are only the beginning of what MaAnna has to offer. If you visit this site you can take a peek inside the books, learn about the classes offered in conjunction with these books--and a lot more!

Tomorrow, I will be talking with MaAnna Stephenson. Please come back and have a listen!

Visit any bookstore and you see shelves of memoirs. Most are true, but a few slip through that turn out to be false. You won't have to worry about being "tricked" by author Barbara Bonfigli's Cafe Tempest--she makes it clear right on the cover that it is a fictional memoir. My first thought on reading those words was "Wow--gives a whole new meaning to creating memories!"***Welcome to Pharos, a small Greek island with no airport but plenty of means of escape. It’s a sparkling necklace of turquoise bays and sun-laced platias, where ice trays are still being test-marketed and donkeys have the right of way.

Your guide is Sarah, an independent thirty-something American writer and theatrical producer living in London. She's just had a hit in the West End and a breakup with her boyfriend, and she's returning to her favorite laid-back island to recover her equanimity

Accompanied by her good friend Alexandra, Sarah throws herself into the vacationer’s art of swimming, daydreaming, and sharing an ouzo with her Greek pals. One is Theo, an aspiring suitor and Pharos’s only doctor. When he recruits her to direct the islanders’ summer play, she chooses Shakespeare’s The Tempest. What follows is a hilarious adventure in casting, rehearsing, and consuming, as she becomes entangled with a bunch of locals who are excited about acting but delirious about eating. Their rehearsals in a deconsecrated church become a feast in four acts.

Armed with a sizzling wit, a dangerously limited Greek vocabulary, and a pitch-perfect ear for drama, Sarah navigates the major egos and minor storms of a cab driver Caliban, a postmaster Prospero, and a host of fishermen dukes and knaves.

When she falls in love, there are even trickier seas to navigate. Her own offstage romance provides an exhilarating, unpredictable counterpoint to Shakespeare’s tale of magic, intrigue, and the power of love.Illustrations by Gaia FranchettiClassic Greek Recipes remastered by Ana Espinosa

Cafe Tempest is a fictional memoir. All the names have been changed to confound the litigious and to keep away anyone not bio-degradable. A small glossary will keep you in the picture when the local color gets especially bright. About Barbara Bonfigli:Barbara Bonfigli—author, lyricist, theatrical producer—hitchhiked to Greece in her first nomadic summer and discovered her native land. She’s been exploring it ever since -- hiking in the Pelion, kayaking in the Dodecanese, sailing the Aegean. She wore out five passports and four continents before settling down on a mythical Greek island to uncork her memories, her imagination and a bottle or two of retsina. The result is her first novel, Café Tempest: Adventures on a Small Greek Island.Barbara Bonfigli was born in California and thriving there until, at fifteen, she discovered that her high school gave full college credit for Driver’s Education. She successfully lobbied her parents to switch her to a prep school back East that leaned more toward philosophy, literature, and European history.

Her early careers in Manhattan included editor, literary agent, and Wall St. coffee vendor. Working with composer Catherine MacDonald, she wrote lyrics for shows on and off-Broadway, including A Streetcar Named Desire at the Vivian Beaumont and St. James theaters, She Stoops to Conquer at the Guthrie, and Rebel Women at Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival.

While living in London in the 1980s and 90s, she co-founded ShowPeople Ltd, which produced Blues in the Night, Ian McKellen Acting Shakespeare, Barbara Cook: Wait ’Til You See Her, and several seasons of big and little shows. Blues… and Barbara Cook… both received Olivier nominations, the UK’s equivalent of the Tony awards.

BB has studied music in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, meditation in India with two contemporary Siddha masters, and deepens her yoga practice in New Mexico with Tias Little and the teachers at Yoga Source.

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About Me

Joyce Anthony

My education in both Psychology and Criminal Justice indicate the duality of my nature. A reader and writer, dreamer and fighter. My passions include working toward animal rights, a more effective children's mental health system and equality for all throughout this Earth I call home.